Turning a Large Tabletop, Part 2

Over the weekend I managed to finish turning a new 24″-diameter walnut tabletop. Although I’ve been turning for a number of years now, I’d never undertaken a large-diameter disc like this. At first, I was bit intimidated by the prospect of turning this big blank, but frankly, now that it’s all done except for some sanding, it wasn’t tough at all.

My idea to drill some holes to the depth I intended to dish out the disc was a good strategy, but next time I’ll make them 1/8″ instead of 3/8″. That way, the tool won’t bounce as it moves over them across the face. All in all though, the dishing process left a relatively flat face that didn’t require all that much cleanup.

In this video you’ll see some of the cleanup, and how the face and back look now that they are complete. There’s still some sanding to do, especially on the backside, but now it’s time to start working on the base. Back to the world of flat, straight and parallel.

– Steve Shanesy

If you’d like to learn more about the fundamentals of turning, check out my DVD  “Turning Basics for Woodworkers.”